Providing Roadside Charging Services

Abstract

Methods for providing electrical charging services are disclosed, including receiving dispatch information for a service vehicle, receiving charging instructions including an amount of charge to provide to a stranded or depleted EV, providing the amount of charge, and providing a charging station location to the EV or an EV passenger or occupant. Additional methods describe how to determine a charging station location for the EV, reserving an EV charger for the EV, and making roadside payment transactions. Other methods disclosed include receiving information about an EV in need of charging services, selecting and assigning a service vehicle to assist the EV, and distributing relevant information to the EV such as an amount of energy to provide to the EV that would allow the EV to reach a charging station for a more complete charge. Resupply of the service vehicle and providing guidance to reach the EV may also be provided.

1 . A method of electrical charging service operation, the method comprising:
 receiving dispatch information for a service vehicle, the dispatch information comprising:
 identification information of an electric vehicle (EV) in need of charging services, and 
 a location of the EV; 
   receiving charging instructions, the charging instructions comprising:
 a charging station location, and 
 an amount of charge to provide to the EV, where the amount of charge is calculated based on the energy required by the EV to travel to the charging station location for recharging; 
   providing the amount of charge to the EV using charging equipment transported by the service vehicle; and   providing the charging station location to the EV or a passenger or occupant of the EV.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the charging station location is determined based on whether charging equipment at the charging station location is compatible with charging equipment of the EV. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the charging station location is determined based on the price of charging the EV at the charging station. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the charging station location is determined based on proximity of the charging station location to an intended destination of the EV or proximity of the charging station location to a path leading to the intended destination preferred by a passenger or occupant of the EV. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the charging station location is determined based on the amount of charge required by the EV to travel to the charging station location for recharging. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the amount of charge is calculated based on the identification information of the EV. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the amount of charge is calculated based on an expected rate of energy consumption of the EV between the location of the EV and the charging station location or a distance between the location of the EV and the charging station location. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the amount of charge ranges from a minimum of approximately 4 kilowatt-hours and a maximum of approximately 8 kilowatt-hours. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , the charging instructions further comprising charging station reservation information or charging station reservation availability information. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 reserving a charging station for the EV at the charging station location; and   providing information about the reserved charging station to the EV or a passenger or occupant of the EV.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving payment corresponding with the amount of charge provided to the EV.   
     
     
         12 . A method of electrical charging service operation, the method comprising:
 receiving identification information of an electric vehicle (EV) in need of charging services and a location of the EV;   generating charging instructions, the charging instructions comprising:
 a charging station location and, 
 an amount of charge to provide to the EV, where the amount of charge is calculated based on the energy required by the EV to travel to the charging station location for recharging; 
   selecting a service vehicle, the service vehicle having charging equipment, where the service vehicle is selected based on:
 a location and a status of the service vehicle, 
 compatibility of the charging equipment with the EV, and 
 ability to provide the amount of charge to the EV using the charging equipment when at the location of the EV; 
   generating dispatch information for the selected service vehicle, the dispatch information comprising:
 the identification information of the EV, and 
 the location of the EV; 
   sending the dispatch information to the service vehicle; and   sending the charging instructions to the service vehicle.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , the dispatch information further comprising driving directions for the service vehicle to reach the location of the EV. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the charging station location is generated based on whether charging equipment at the charging station location is compatible with charging equipment of the EV. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the charging station location is generated based on proximity of the charging station location to an intended destination of the EV or proximity of the charging station location to a path leading to the intended destination preferred by a passenger or occupant of the EV. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the charging station location is generated based on the amount of charge required by the EV to travel to the charging station location. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 reserving a charging station for the EV at the charging station location; and   sending reservation information regarding the reserved charging station to the service vehicle, a service vehicle operator, the EV, or a passenger or occupant of the EV.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , the status of the service vehicle comprising a fuel level of the service vehicle and an amount of available charge onboard the service vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the amount of available charge onboard the service vehicle is determined by a number of battery modules transported by the service vehicle, the battery modules being connectable to the charging equipment of the service vehicle for providing charge to the EV. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the charging equipment of the service vehicle provides charge from one or more battery modules. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 determining that the service vehicle needs to exchange battery modules; and   sending exchange instructions to the service vehicle, the exchange instructions comprising instructions to exchange one or more battery modules with a battery module storage location or a resupply vehicle.